Cruviping-machine for boot or shoe uppers



(No Model.) y 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. L. YKlqff'I'ZGfz-:R.

GRIMPING' MACHINE BOOT 0R lSHOE UPPERS. N0. 323,815.`

Patented Aug. 4, 1885.

INVBNTOR M E S S E N T I W M ATTORNEY N PETERS. Pholhlhugnphur Wnhm nn. D C

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet' L'. KNETZGER.

v GRIMPING MACHINE FOR BOOTOR SHOE UPPERS.

No. 828,815. Patented Aug. 4,'1885.

, NVVEJVTO MM.' -flfwgnf dtorney NA PETERS. Phew-Lithograph, Washingiun. D. C.

Ntra y ArtNr j FFME@ LEONARD KNETZGER, OF DUQUOIN, ILLINOIS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 323,815, dated August 4, 1885.

Application filed May 19. 1885.

To LZZ whom tmc/,y concern.-

Be it known that I, LEONARD KNETZGER, of Duquoin, Perry county, in the State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in'Machines for Crimping Boot or Shoe Uppers, and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and accurate description of the same.

Heretofore it has been the custom to crimp the leather over a former having only one stretchingplane approximately the proiile shape of the leg, instep, and foot, and the leather so crimped is compelled to stretch substantially in one direction only, and this gives rise to wrinkles and puckers, which require to be worked out.77 I am also aware that a former has been jointed in the middle, so that the leather may be first folded over said former while substantially straight, and afterward stretched longitudinally by leXing the former; but that requires the edges of the leather to be clamped fast, which interferes with the uniform stretching, and it does not simultaneously produce the stretch both transversely and longitudinally. My invention obviates these undesirable results as well as facilitates the general results, by a cruciform stretch of the leather over' a former having two stretching-planes instead of one, substantially at right angles to each other, and bearing no resemblance to the profile of the leg, instep, and foot. The effect of this is to commence the stretching at the center and eX-tend the same in radial lines in all directions therefrom, so that the leather is uniformly and gradually elongated without wrinkles, and the operation is greatly facilitated.

That others may fully understand my invention, I will particularly describe the machine which I have made to work it, without, however, intending to limit myself to the details of the operative mechanisms shown, which may be greatly varied without affecting the results of the invention.

Figure l is a perspective view of my machine. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of crimping-blank when removed from the machine. Figs. 3 and 4t are perspective views of the crimped boot-front. Fig. 5 is an outline of a boot-front crimped as on my machine.

A. is a stout frame with feet, to stand upon (No model.)

the iioor and support the operative parts of the invention.

B B are the side plates constituting the crimping. die or matrix mounted and stationary on said frame. Said side plates rest on a bar, d, of the frame A, which supports them in resisting the downward thrust of the crimping-former E, which forces the leather down between the plates vB B. To adapt the machine to the different thicknesses of leather, and to impart to the plates B B an elastic quality which will enable them always to act without risk of rupturing the leather under treatment, straining-bolts f f are employed, each provided with a screw and hand-nut, g, and with a strong spring, 71, interposed between said nut and plate B. The tension of the spring h is the measure of the elastic-resistance to lateral pressure, and this may be increased or diminished at will by changing the position of thenuts g accordingly.

Io maintain substantial parallelism between the plates B B, the lateral pressure being all above the straining-bolts, two arms, i t', are projected downward from the plates B B, and a screw, 7c, acts to maintain them at'the desired distancev apart, subject to adjustment, by the action of said screw.

The matrix-plates B B have a transverse gap, m, to receive the cross-arm or transverse blade a of the former E, whereby the leather is stretched transversely as well as longitudinally from the center.

The former E may be raised or lowered by any of the mechanical contrivances usually employed; but I prefer to work it by means of two racks, p p, attached to the former E, and pinions q q, mounted on a shaft, r, whereby they may be simultaneously operated. For convenience I attach a hand-lever, u, to move said shaft, and thereby the former may be actuated with all desirable speed and force.

Vhen the leather blank is to be crimped, the former is raised clear above the matrix, and the leather is spread thereoninl proper position, and upon the descent of the former it is forced into the matrix in the form of a cross, the cross arm or blade a descending into the gap m, spreading and stretching the leather laterally, as shown.l It ,will be observed that without the cross-blade a the force IOO . exerted upon the leather Will all be in the plane of the motion of the former E, but with said cross-blade there is also a lateral pull perpendieular to said plane, and those parts of the leather which develop Wrinkles Without said cross-blade are with it drawn out and stretched.

Vhen the blank has been crimped and is removed from the machine, it is in form like Fig. 3, the foot being substantially in line with the leg. By bending the foot upward, however, to the ordinary position of the foot portion of a crimped blank the side folds will liat ten out without farther stretching, as in Fig. et.

Having described my invention, I claim' as new- 1. In combination, in a boot-crimping ma` chine, a matrix and a crueiform former arranged to eo-operate with a corresponding die or matrix having two stretching-planes adapted to simultaneously stretch the leather both transeversely and longitudinally,substantiall y as set forth.

2. The matrix-platesB B, provided with the transverse gap m, combined with a former, E, provided with a transverse or cross blade, n, adapted to enter said gap and stretch the leather laterally at the same time the former E is stretching the same leather longitudinally.

3. The matrix-plates B B, combined with the adjustable spring 7L and the screw 7c, snb stantially as set forth.

4. In combination, to constitute a erim pingmachine, the frame A, inatrix-plates B B, provided with gap m, former E, with cross-blade n, racks p, and shaft i', provided with pinions q.

L. KNETZGER.

IV it n esses:

GEO. E. BECK, N. E. OR/roN. 

